CHRIS DODD JUST CAME OUT FOR GAY MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND FOR ENDING THE WAR. MAYBE HE'S THE KIND OF LEADER WE REALLY DO NEED FOR PRESIDENT.

Yesterday, some of my friends in Indiana were celebrating the relative progress in their state when a viciously anti-gay amendment was defeated. At the same time they were yipping it up in Indiana because the freight train to deny their humanity was slowed down, Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd showed some real heart, wisdom, leadership and balls in New Hampshire when he took on the issue of gay marriage head-on. Dodd is running for president. So are Hillary, Obama, and Edwards. You think any of them would speak out so forthrightly?

Dodd said the question we should all ask ourselves is "What would you do if your child were gay? Dodd said anyone who would deny a gay child the right to be happy isn't being honest."

Dodd, the father of 2-year-old and 5-year-old girls, said his daughters could grow up to be lesbians and that he hopes they would have the opportunity to enjoy marriage-like rights.

"They may grow up as a different sexual orientation than their parents," he said. "How would I want my child to be treated if they were of a different sexual orientation?"

In contrast to Indiana, New Hampshire lawmakers were debating a civil unions bill at the statehouse, a mile away from where Dodd was speaking. The bill passed easily, moving on to the Senate. (In Alaska, on the other hand, not such good news-- a not-so-ringing 53 percent endorsement for a right-wing proposal to deny health care benefits to partners of gay public employees.)

Meanwhile, Dodd also became the first Senate Democrat running for president to endorse Feingold's new bill to bring the occupation of Iraq to a end. "The Feingold-Reid Bill helps Congress finally put the brakes on the Administration's failed Iraq strategy, and serves notice to the President in terms he can't ignore. It sets forth a new direction that will require the Iraqis to take responsibility for their future by mandating the safe, phased redeployment of US combat forces from Iraq, with a hard date for completing that redeployment. It also very responsibly provides for a continued, very limited role for US troops who remain in Iraq-- equip and train Iraqi security forces, carry out limited counter terrorism operations and protect US personnel and infrastructure. I am pleased to join with Senators Feingold and Reid as a co-sponsor on this important legislative initiative. I would urge the President to embrace the new direction set forth in the bill."

Last January Chris Dodd became the first presidential contender to open up to the regular Saturday Blue America live forums we hold at Firedoglake. Media hype aside, he seems a far, far better leader than any other senators currently running for president.


UPDATE: WELL... "MARRIAGE-LIKE" ISN'T THE SAME AS MARRIAGE, BUT IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION